Apparatus for throwing granular material



w. F. PIPER I 1,958,017

APPARATUS FOR THROWING GRANULAR MATERIEL May 8, 1934.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20, 1931 May 8, 1934.

w. F. PIPER APPARATUS FOR THROWING GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed July' 20, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a v Q $.m QM J w Q N MN. 6/ R FlL MW RN Q8 U \N WU R b\ g 3v Qm 8 U NQ A mw m \E. WNW U y 1934- w. F. PIPER APPARATUS FOR THROWING GRANULAR MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 20. 1931 Patented May 8, 1934 PATENT CFFH'CE APPARATUS FOR THROWING GRANULAR MATERIAL Walter F. Piper, Oak Park, Ill., Beardsley & Piper Company,

corporation of Illinois assignor to The Chicago, 111., a

Application July 20, 1931, Serial No. 551,838 11 Claims. (Cl. 259-126) The invention relates generally to apparatus for throwing granular material for aerating, screening or mixing. purposes. More particularly the invention relates to that type of apparatus which comprises (1) a housing having an inlet and a discharge opening for the material and embodying wheels whereby it may be readily moved or transported from one place to another; (2) a hopper at one side of the housing for ;supplying through the inlet and into the housing, the material that is to be thrown; and (3) a motor-driven, blade-equipped rotor which is housed within the housing and operates, during drive thereof by the motor, to throw the mate- ;rial outwardly through the discharge opening in such a manner that the various particles are loosened and become aerated.

One object of the invention is to provide a throwing apparatus of this type in which the ;motor for driving the blade-equipped rotor is mounted on the top of the housing, and the power-transmitting gearing between the motor and the rotor is of novel design and is housed within the housing so that it is readily accessible for repair or replacement purposes and is,

at the same time, protected from the material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the type under consideration in which the hopper is supported movably, embodies Jan arrangement whereby the material, before delivery into the housing through the inlet, is broken up and sifted and is connected to the rotor so that during drive of the latter by the motor on the top of the housing, it is vibrated .back and forth in such a manner that a ready sifting of the material is effected and the material is fed uniformly into the housing through the inlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a throwing apparatus of the last mentioned character in which the supporting means for the hopper comprises an elongated member which has one end thereof secured directly to one side of the housing and embodies at its other end a resilient post whereby the outer or distal end of the top is yieldingly supported.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character under consideration in which the vibrating connection between the hopper and the motor-driven rotor consists of a pair of arms which are secured to the inner end of the hopper and are connected to a shaft which is carried eccentrically in the rotor and operates, during drive of the rotor, to

gyrate or oscillate the arms for hopper vibrating purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for throwing granular material which is generally of new and improved construction and is extremely efiicient'in operation.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present thrower construction will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description. I

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a throwing apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section exhibiting in detail the construction of the housing and the arrangement of the gearing for driving the blade-equipped rotor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the rotor;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, illustrating the manner in which the rotor is connected to the hopper so as to vibrate the latter during operation of the'motor; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the blades for throwing the material through the discharge opening in the housing during drive of the rotor by the motor.

The apparatus which forms the subject matter of the invention may, if desired, be used in a foundry or like establishment to throw or forcibly project molding sand for aeration purposes. It comprises a housing 4, a rotor 5 and a hopper 6. The hopper is located at one side of the housing and operates, as hereinafter described, to feed the sand that is to be thrown into the housing. The rotor is housed within the housing and is adapted, during drive thereof, to receive the sand from the hopper and to throw it outwardly with such force as to loosen or separate the various particles thereof.

The housing 4 is preferably formed of cast metal and consists of a top wall '7 and a continuous side wall 8. The side wall depends from and is formed integrally with the marginal part of the top wall and defines with the top wall a chamber 9. The lower portion of the side wall is substantially cylindrical in conformation and embodies a pair of vertically spaced outwardly extending flanges 10 for reinforcing purposes. The intermediate or central portion of the side wall of the housing tapers upwardly and has formed in the rear part thereof a rectangular inlet 11 whereby the sand that is to be thrown for aeration purposes is supplied by the hopper into the chamber 9. A discharge opening 12 is formed in the lower portion of the side wall of the housing. This opening is disposed substantially di-' ametrically opposite the inlet 11 and is positioned between the vertically spaced reinforcing flanges 16. The sand that is delivered into the chamber 9 is thrown outwardly through the discharge opening 12 during drive of the rotor. The housing 4 is supported by means of a pair of wheels 13. The latter are journalled on stub axles 14 and permit the apparatus to be wheeled from one place in the foundry to another. 14 are located at and project outwardly from the side parts of the housing 4 and are secured fixedly in a pair of aligned openings 15 in the lower portion of the side wall of the housing. The rotor 5 is formed of a one-piece casting. It is substantially cylindrical and is supported for rotation in the chamber 9 by a substantially vertically extending shaft 16. The upper end of this shaft is tapered and fits within a correspondingly tapered socket 17 in the central portion of the top wall 7. A nut 18 serves to lock the shaft in place. This nut is mounted on the extreme upper end of the shaft 16 and bears against a boss 19 on the top wall; When the nut 18 is tightened, the tapered upper end of the shaft is forced upwardly into clamped relation with respect to the portion of, the top wall that defines the socket 17. The lower end of the shaft 16 extends into an enlarged cylindrical opening 20 in the upper end of the rotor 5. The opening 20 is centrally positioned with respect to the rotor and has the upper end thereof closed by a ring 21. The latter fits around and forms a bearing for the shaft 16 and is connected by a screw thread connection 22 to the portion of the rotor that forms the upper end of the opening 20 so that it is secured removably in place. Lugs 23 for use in turning the ring into and out of its operative position are formed on the upper face of the ring and are arranged in an annular series. An upper roller bearing 24 and a lower roller bearing 25 serve to. support the rotor rotatably on the lower end of the shaft 16. These bearings are disposed in the cylindrical opening 20 and are held in spaced relation by means of a collar 26. The latter is mounted on the lower end of the shaft 16 and is held against rotation relatively to the shaft by means of a pin 27. This pin extends transversely through the shaft and projects through aligned openings 28 in the spacing collar 26. The upper roller bearing 24 consists of an inner race 29, an annular series of rollers 30 and an outer race 31. The inner race is shrunk around or otherwise secured to the shaft 16 and rests upon the upper end of the spacing collar 26. The outer race 31 fits within the upper end of the cylindricalv opening 20 and is held against displacement by the ring 21. The rollers 30 fit between the inner and outer races and operate, in conjunction with said races, to support rotatably the rotor 5. Said rollers 30 are arranged so as to form a thrust bearing whereby the rotor is held against axial displacement in an upward direction. The lower roller bearing 25 is substantially the same in construction. as the upper bearing 24 and consists of an inner race 32, an

The stub axles.

annular series of rollers 33 and an outer race 34. The inner race 32 is shrunk around or otherwise secured to the extreme lower end of the shaft 16 and abuts'against the lower end of the spacing collar 26. The outer race 34 is disposed in the lower end of the cylindrical opening 20 and rests upon an annular shoulder 2i) which is formed integrally with the rotor. The rollers 33 cooperate with the races 32 and 34 to support rotatably the rotor 5 and are arranged so as to prevent downward end thrust of the rotor. The rotor is supported so thatthe lower end thereof is conterminous with the bottom edge of the casing. It embodies a radially extending flange 35. The latter is formed integrally with and projects outwardly from the lower end of the rotor and forms a wall or member which closes the lower end of the chamber 9 and receives the sand that is introduced into the chamber through the inlet 11. The sand is thrown from the chamber through the discharge opening 12 by means of an annular series of blades 36. These blades are secured to the top of the flange 35 by bolts 37 and embody vertically extending parts 36 which extend between the outer periphery of the rotor and the inner periphery of a liner 38, and operate, during drive of the rotor, to sling or throw the sand through the discharge opening. The liner 38 is formed of hard, wear-resisting material and is secured removably to the inner periphery of the substantially cylindrical lower portion of the side wall of the housing by means of a hook bolt 38. During drive of the rotor, the sand is fed through the inlet 11 and drops by gravity onto the flange 35 and into the path of the blades 36. The latter ing the sand outwardly against the liner 38 by centrifugal force and cause the sand to be thrown or forcibly projected as it reaches the discharge opening 12.

The rotor 5 is driven for sand throwing purposes by means of an electric motor 39. The latter is secured to the top wall of the housing by bolts 40 and is arranged so that its armature shaft projects into a pocket 41 in the upper end of the housing. The pocket communicates with the upper end of the chamber 9 and is formed by a wall 42 which is integral with the housing. The motor drives the rotor through the medium of a pinion 43 and a ring gear 44. The pinion is keyed to the end of the armature shaft of the motor that projects within the pocket 41. The ring gear 44.- meshes with the pinion, surrounds the upper end of the shaft 16 and embodies an inwardly extending flange 44. which is secured directly to the upper end of the rotor by bolts 45. The latter extend through the flange 44 and into internally threaded sockets in the upper end of the rotor. The motor is supplied with current through a flexible conductor 46. An opening 8 in the side wall 8 of the housing affords access to the driving mechanism for the rotor. This opening is normally closed by a plate 8' which is held in place by bolts 8".

The hopper 6 which supplies the sand into the housing is formed of sheet metal. It comprises a bottom 43?, a pair of sides 43 and an inclined back l9, and embodies a screen 50. The latter is formed of expanded metal lath and is secured to the sides l8 and the back 49 so that it is spaced above the bottom 4'7. The front end of the screen is shaped to form a pocket 51 which discharges onto a laterally extending chute 52 on one of the sides The rear portion of the screen, that is, the portion between the pocket and the back 49, is bent so that it is more or less corrugated in general design. During use of the apparatus, the sand that is to be aerated is shoveled or dumped into the hopper so that it passes through the screen 50 onto the bottom 47. The screen 50, during passage of the sand therethrough, breaks up the large, coarse particles or lumps and operates to strain out all foreign objects and to deposit such objects in the pocket 51 from whence they are discharged to one side of the apparatus by way of the chute 52. The front ends of the sides 43 are extended and form with the front end of the bottom a spent 53 which extends into the inlet 11 and delivers the sand from the bottom 4'7 so that it falls onto the radially extending flange and into the path of the blades. The rear end of the hopper is supported by means of an elongated member 54 and a standard 55. The member 54 projects rearwardly from the housing of the apparatus and has the inner end thereof secured fixedly to the lower portion of the side wall 8. The standard 55 is connected to the outer or distal end of the member as by a socket 56 and is formed of rubber so that it is resilient and supports the hopper movably. The upper end of the standard is mounted in a socket 57. The latter is secured to the standard by a bolt 58 and is connected fixedly to a bracket 59 on the back 49 of the hopper. The front end of the hopper is supported by means of a pair of arms 66. The latter are ar- 1 ranged in parallel relation and are connected together at the front ends thereof by a cross piece 61. The rear ends of the arms are provided with brackets 62 which are bolted or otherwise secured to the sides 18 of the hopper.

In order to efiect the desired screening of the sand and to cause the sand to be fed uniformly into the housing through the inlet 11, a. mechanism is provided for vibrating the hopper. This mechanism comprises a shaft 63. This shaft extends substantially vertically and has the upper end thereof disposed within a cylindrical opening 64: in the lower end of the rotor. The opening 64 is eccentrically positioned with respect to the rotor and has its lower end closed by a ring 65. The latter is connected to the rotor by a screw thread connection 66 and forms a bearing for the shaft 63. An upper roller bearing 67 and a lower roller bearing 68 serve to support the shaft 63 so that it is rotatable within the eccentrically positioned opening 64. The upper roller bearing consists of an inner race 69, an annular series of rollers 70 and an outer race 71. The inner race is shrunk around or otherwise secured to the upper end of the shaft 63 and is supported on a collar '72. The latter serves to hold the upper and lower roller bearings 6'7 and 68 in spaced relation and is secured to the shaft by a transversely extending pin '73. The outer race of the upper hearing 67 fits within the upper end of the opening 64 and abuts against an annular shoulder '74. The lower roller bearing 68 consists of an inner face 75, an annular series of rollers '76 and an outer race '77. The inner race abuts against the lower face of the spacing collar 72. The outer race '77 is disposed in the lower end of the opening 64 and is held in place by the ring 65. The rollers 70 of the upper bearing and the rollers 77 of the lower bearing cooperate with their respective races to support the shaft rotatably and are arranged so as to form thrust bearings whereby the shaft 63 is held against axial displacement in the eocentrically disposed opening 64. A cross arm 78 is connected to the lower end of the shaft 63. This cross arm has a downwardly facing longitudinal seat '79 in which fits the cross piece 61 for the arms 60. The cross piece 61 is secured fixedly in the seat by means of bolts 80. When the rotor 5 is driven by the electric motor 39, the shaft 63 is caused to rotate bodily about the axis of the rotor in view of the fact that the opening 64 is eccentrically positioned with respect to the rotor. This rotary movement of the shaft 63 operates through the medium of the cross arm 8 and the hopper supporting arm 60 to vibrate the hopper and cause the sand to work through the screen and to be fed in a continuous stream onto the flange 35 and into the path of the blades 36.

When it is desired to use the apparatus to throw sand for aerating purposes, the outer or distal end of the elongated member 54 is raised and is used as a handle so as to push the apparatus into a position wherein the hopper may be readily filled with the sand that is to be thrown. After starting the electric motor 39, the sand is either shoveled or dumped into the hopper 6. The sand upon entry into the hopper is immediately subjected to the action of the screen 50. The latter, by reason of the fact that the hopper is vibrated, sifts the sand and causes diminution of the larger particles. All foreign objects which are sifted c-r strained out by the screen, work their way into the pocket 51 and then out through the discharge chute 52. The sand that passes through the screen 50 is jogged or vibrated forwardly and is fed through the spout 53 into the housing. As the sand leaves the spout, it falls by gravity onto the annular flange 35. As the flange revolves or rotates, the blades 36 force the sand against the liner 38 and then outwardly through the discharge opening 12. By virtue of the fact that there are a plurality of blades, the discharge of sand through the opening is substantially continuous and the sand is thrown in comparatively small quantities. In the event that it becomes necessary to repair or replace the blades, it is only necessary to release the nut 18 and to remove the rotor and associate parts from the housing via the lower end of the compartment 9.

The herein disclosed sand throwing apparatus may be manufactured at a comparatively low cost by virtue of the fact that it consists of but a small number of parts. Inasmuch as the motor for driving the rotor is mounted on the top of the housing and the power transmitting gearing is housed within the housing, the apparatus as a whole is compact. By providing means whereby the hopper is supported movably and is connected to the rotor so as to be vibrated by the latter, a

uniform or constant feed of the sand through the inlet 11 is maintained.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a portable apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a wheel-supported housing consist ing of top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in. the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a substantially cylindrical since these may rotor suspended from the aforesaid top wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending annular flange for receiving the material supplied through the inlet, blades secured to the flange and operative during drive of the rotor to throw the material outwardly through the discharge opening, and a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor.

2. In a portable apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a wheel-supported housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a substantially cylindrical rotor suspended irom the aforesaid top wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending annular flange positioned to receive the material suppli d through the inlet and arranged so that it is substantially flush with the bottom edge of the side wall and forms a closure for the bottom of the housing, a plurality of separately formed blades secured removably to the flange and operative, during drive of the rotor, to throw the material outwardly through the discharge opening, and a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor.

3. In a portabl apparatus or" the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a wlaeehsupported housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marg nal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening beneath substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a substantially circular liner of hard wear-resisting material secured removably in the lower portion of the side wall so that it is disposed beneath the inlet and is substantially ali ned with the discharge opening, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a cylindrically shaped rotor suspended from the top wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending annular flange for receiving the material supplied through the inlet, blades secured to the flange and operative, during drive of the rotor and in conjunction with the liner, to throw the material outwardly through the discharge opening, and a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor.

4. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a rotor suspended from the top wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, a motor mounted directly on the top wall of the housing, and speed reducing gearing for driving the rotor from the motor disposed in and housed by the upper part of the housing.

5. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a rotor in the housing having blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, means for rctatably supporting the rotor comprising a shaft connected directly to and depending from the top wall of the housing, a motor mounted directly on the top wall of the housing, and speed reducing gearing between the motor and the rotor embodying a ring gear surrounding the shaft and secured fixedly to the upper end of the rotor.

6. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous wall depending from the marginal ortion of the top wall and having formed therein an inle In the central portion thereof and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to he thrown located at one side of the housing arranged to supply the material into the housing through the not, a rotor the housing having blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, means for rotatably supporting the rotor comprising a shaft connected directly to and depending from the top wall of the housing, an electric motor for the rotor mounted on the top wall of the housing and arranged so that one end of the armature shaft thereof extends into the upper portion of the housing, and speed reducing gearing between the motor and the rotor consisting of a pinion secured to the said one end of the armature shaft or" the motor and a ring gear around the first mentioned shaft meshing with the pinion and secured fixedly to the upper end of the rotor.

'7. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and having formed therein an inlet in the central portion thereof, and a lateral discharge opening substantially diametrically opposite the inlet, a hopper for the material to be thrown located at one side of the housing and arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet, a cylindrically shaped rotor disposed in the housing and provided with blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, means for rotatably supporting the rotor from the top wall of the housing comprising a shaft secured directly to and depending from the central portion of the top wall and roller bearings around the lower end of the shaft and in a cylindrical opening in the upper end of the rotor, and a motor mounted directly on the housing and connected to drive the rotor.

8. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a con- 4 tinuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and embodying an inlet and a discharge opening, a hopper for the material to be thrown supported movably at one side of the housing and arranged to feed the material into the housing through the inlet, a substantially cylindrical rotor suspended from the top Wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with a plurality of blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor, and means for vibrating the hopper for material feeding purposes comprising a shaft mounted eccentrically in and depending from the lower end of the rotor and an arm between said shaft and the hopper.

9. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing having an inlet and a discharge opening therein, an elongated member secured to and projecting laterally from the housing, an elongated hopper for the material to be thrown arranged to supply the material into the housing through the inlet and having the outer end thereof supported yieldingly from the distal end of the memher, a cylindrically shaped rotor suspended from the top wall for rotation in the housing and provided with blades at its lower end for throwing the material. outwardly through the discharge opening, a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor, and an arm for supporting the inner end of the hopper connected to the rotor so that during drive of the latter it serves to vibrate the hopper for material feeding purposes.

10. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and embodying an inlet and a discharge opening, an elongated member secured to and projecting laterally from the housing and provided at its distal end with a yielding standard, an elongated hopper for the material to be thrown arranged to feed the material into the housing through the inlet and having the outer end thereof connected to and supported by the standard, a rotor disposed in the housing and provided with blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, a motor mounted on the housing and connected to drive the rotor, and a pair of arms for supporting the inner end of the hopper extending under the housing and connected to the lower end of the rotor so that during drive of the latter they vibrate the hopper for material feeding purposes.

11. In an apparatus of the character described for throwing granular material, the combination of a housing consisting of a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from the marginal portion of the top wall and embodying an inlet and a discharge opening, an elongated member connected to and extending laterally from the housing and provided at its distal end with a yielding standard, an elongated hopper for the material to be thrown arranged to feed the material into the housing through the inlet and having its outer end the upper end of the standard, a cylindrically shaped rotor suspended from the top wall for rotation in the housing and provided at its lower end with a rotatably mounted, eccentrically positioned shaft and with a plurality of blades for throwing the material outwardly through the discharge opening, a motor on the housing connected to drive the rotor, and a pair of arms for supporting the inner end of the hopper extending under the housing and connected to the shaft so as to cause, during drive of the motor, vibration of the hopper for material feeding purposes.

WALTER F. PIPER.

connected to and supported by 

